A casino, or gambling establishment, is a facility that offers various types of chance-based games. People gamble money or other items of value on these games in exchange for prizes, and the games may be conducted by a live dealer or on mechanical devices. In some cases, the games combine chance and skill, such as blackjack or video poker. Casinos earn money by taking a percentage of the total amount of bets made by patrons. They also offer perks to encourage gambling, such as discounted travel packages, free show tickets, or comps (rooms, meals, drinks).
Gambling in its various forms has been a part of human culture for millennia. Archeological evidence shows that dice were used in China as early as 2300 BC, and card games appeared soon thereafter. In the modern sense of the word, casinos are places where people can wager on a variety of games of chance and win cash or other merchandise.
Most modern casinos have a high house edge and variance, meaning that the average player will lose money over time. In order to make the most of this, casinos employ mathematicians who study the odds of different games and develop strategies for their employees.
Many casinos are designed to appeal to the senses, with bright lights and flashing signs. Many have a maze-like structure, with slot machines and gaming tables arranged in a way that draws wandering patrons into more gambling opportunities. They also use acoustics to accentuate the sound of coins dropping, and over 15,000 miles (24,000 km) of neon tubing is used to light the Las Vegas Strip.